February 16, 2022

Tisch Center Alumni Spotlight: Jason Wu, Event Producer at FÊTE NY

Linfeng Jason Wu graduated in 2021 with a BS in Hotel and Tourism Management from the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. He is currently pursuing his Master’s at Georgetown University and is an Event Producer at FÊTE NY. In this post, he shares his career journey post-graduation and reflects on his college years.

What has your journey been like after graduating from NYU?

Shortly after graduation, I began my Master’s program at Georgetown University (online during the midst of the pandemic.) While studying and living in NYC, I thought to myself, “Why not work and learn at the same time in the city?” I was debating which positions to apply for, as there were a few options. Reflecting on the internships I had during my 4 years at NYU, I knew I wanted to become an event producer from my experience at Rosewood Beijing; I interned there as a banquet supervisor. It convinced me to apply to one of the best event planning companies in the city, FÊTE NY. I began to work full-time there in September.

Can you talk about your current role at FÊTE?

I currently work at FÊTE as an event producer. FÊTE is a New York-based full-service event company that produces some of the most imaginative and distinctive events in the world today. With a diverse team that brings along a range of perspectives and experiences, each event is tailor-made to reflect the personality and essence of the client, whether it be private or corporate. My two main responsibilities include planning and designing. On the planning side, some of my tasks can range from vendor sourcing and contract negotiation to client relations and budget management. Whereas for design, my tasks include conceptualizing decor, storyboarding, and floor plan rendering. Most importantly, I am responsible for onsite execution on the event dates. It would be impossible for an individual to perform all the tasks alone, so I am lucky to collaborate with some of the greatest colleagues along the way.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

A workday at the office is completely different from a workday onsite. In the office, I would start working around 10:00 AM by first going through some emails that needed to be responded to in regard to venues, vendors, and clients. Then, we would have meetings with the client to go over ideas and details about the event. If we have time, we’d also have an internal meeting with the team to discuss event-related topics. However, when we work onsite on the event dates, we could start as early as 6:00 AM, depending on the location. The entire day will be dedicated to taking the event that we have crafted and conceptualized in the past months and bringing it to life.

What are you passionate about in the work that you do?

Many of the events that I have worked on are weddings, so being able to make such an important day extra-special for the client is what I am passionate about. The joy and laughter that we as a team can create truly gives me a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. Having a sense of responsibility for what I do also motivates me to continue improving.

In what ways has your NYU experience had an impact on your career and

shaped who you are today?

My NYU experience has immensely shaped who I am today both in my career and who I am personally. The resourceful professors/faculty that we have, the courses and the structure of the program have allowed me to not only explore the field that I am interested in, but receive hands-on experience through internships as well.

What career advice would you give to NYU students?

If there was one thing I wish I knew as a student, it would be this: instead of setting ambitious goals that are temporary and challenging, focus on or change little habits that are recurring daily to improve and develop as an individual.  Goals that are difficult to reach could put pressure on us and hinder our performance. By changing trivial habits, we will instinctively reach that goal.


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